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Photo: Courtesy Eva SchlossEva Schloss will share her story and message of hope at Chabad’s annual fundraiser March 27.

Every Holocaust survivor is a different person, with a unique story. One of the most different of all those stories will be told at the Eisemann Center in Richardson on Wednesday evening, March 27, by Eva Schloss, who is widely known as “Anne Frank’s Step-Sister.”
At almost 90, she’s been making up for lost time. Like many survivors, Eva didn’t talk about her personal experiences for almost four decades — in her case, 40 years spent back in Europe before the breakthrough came.
She was born in 1929, and returned from Auschwitz in 1945. Did people feel sorry for this teenage girl? “I was just 16 when the war ended, and I wanted everyone to know what I had suffered, and to feel sorry for me. But no one wanted to hear,” is how she begins to answer that question.
“Everybody in Europe had lost family,” she recalls. “People said to just move on. How could they possibly understand? So, like all survivors, I buried my thoughts. I couldn’t sleep properly. I had nightmares. There was no counseling or therapy available.”
And there was nothing different for her until 1986 when, long after she was a grown woman, she had come to London to study photography. “Not everybody can go to Auschwitz,” she says, about the continuing difficulties in getting people to understand the Holocaust. But that year, a traveling exhibition came to town — an exhibition based on Anne Frank — and she was invited to attend. And at it, suddenly, someone announced, “And now, Eva will talk.”
“I was not a public speaker,” she thought then. But speak she did, for the very first time. And once the floodgates of memory were opened to 300 listeners, Eva found out she really was. Since then, there has been no stopping her. Her writing began soon after, and she has now published three books; the first one, “After Auschwitz,” contains all her memories. “Once I let go of them,” she says now, “I couldn’t recall them any more. I had to use my own book to look them up!”
The opportunity to hear Eva locally is being offered by Chabad of Plano/Collin County. She’s on a current tour of 19 Chabad centers, but audiences are in no way limited to those with Chabad connections. According to Rabbi Menachem Block of the local Chabad, “She is a piece of history, and this will be historic for the people who will hear her. She wants people to know about the Holocaust, that it really happened, that she was there. And her message to the world is tolerance, our common humanity and respecting diversity.”
Eva is grateful to her Chabad sponsors for helping to bring her messages to such wide audiences. When people ask about her beliefs, as they often do, she will respond, “I’m not a ‘practicing Jew.’ I’m certainly not Orthodox. But I’m proud of my Jewish heritage.” In the camps, she says, “You could only pray for everything to stop!” She has actually debated with some rabbis about losing faith in God, but maintains that this is not the truth: What happened was a loss of faith in humanity.
The desire to create a future that people can have faith in was the basis for her recent widely publicized meeting with students in a Southern California high school who, in a terribly mistaken attempt at humor during a weekend party, formed a swastika out of beer cups and made the Heil Hitler salute over them. Of course this debacle made its immediate way onto social media, and then to Rabbi Reuven Mintz, director of the Chabad Center for Jewish Life in Newport Beach, California, who arranged for the meeting. Now, as Eva has moved on to continue spreading her messages of tolerance and hope for the future, Rabbi Mintz is beginning his work with the high school’s leadership to further a program of Holocaust education.
But what everyone wants to know most is how the Eva-and-Anne connection came about. That story begins with the arrivals in Amsterdam of two families seeking what then seemed safe refuge from Hitler’s Nazis. The family of Anne Frank, who was just one month younger than Eva, had come first, from Germany; Eva’s family, the Geiringers, came later, from Austria. By luck, or fate or the hand of God, their apartments faced each other, and the two young girls became playmates first, and later, good friends.
Of course, the peace they had hoped for eluded both families in the Netherlands as it had in other parts of Europe. While the Franks were hidden in what has since become the world’s most famous attic, the Geiringers moved from safe-house to safe-house, until both families were finally betrayed and transported to the death camps. There, Anne was lost, along with her mother and sister Margot; gone also were Eva’s father and brother Heinz. After the war, the three survivors — Anne’s father Otto Frank, and Eva with her mother Elfriede Geiringer — returned separately to Amsterdam, hoping to rescue bits of their lost loved ones from old hiding places. Otto found his daughter’s now-world-famous diary; Elfriede found her son’s paintings and poems, which have also been shown and read publicly. And the two adults found — and subsequently married — each other, making Eva the after-the-fact stepsister of her dearly departed friend Anne.
Eva’s first stop on this current tour was at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, where she drew a crowd of 1,200 that was covered by The Washington Post. Always, her message echoes and enhances that of our Dallas Holocaust Museum: “It is the danger of the bystander. I tell people, this is the way Germany was: Not everyone was anti-Semitic or supported Hitler; some had good Jewish friends. But they took the easy way out and looked the other way,” she said. “We have to teach young people to speak out when they see injustice.”
Photography first took a back seat in Eva’s life when, in London in 1953, she met and married another German survivor, Zvi Schloss. Also like many survivors, “I was desperate to have a family,” she recalls. In their 27 years together before her husband’s death, the couple had three daughters, and now Eva also has five grandchildren. Her work today continues to be spreading a personal message of hopeful optimism despite the past. And she is already being helped to do so into the farthest future by the newest technology (which will be seen locally when Dallas’ new Holocaust Museum opens in September): she is one of the first survivors to have been “hologrammed,” making it possible for viewers to have interactive contact with them — to ask questions and receive answers — even long after they are gone. Eva’s “living image” is already telling her story to visitors of Holocaust museums in New York, California and Illinois.
“This is complex,” she says of the new technique. “But it is the best and most appropriate way to keep the moral lessons of genocide alive.”

This “Historic Evening with Anne Frank’s Step- Sister Eva Schloss” will start at 7 p.m. (checkin), with the program beginning at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 27, at the Eisemann Center, 2351 Performance Drive in Richardson. Tickets are priced at $25 and $50, $10 admission for students. They can be purchased at www.eisemanncenter.com.

Photo: Deb Silverthorn“The history of Anshai proudly reflects a congregation whose roots are deeply embedded in the fertile soil of the greater Jewish community,” said Rabbi Stefan Weinberg (left), who has led Congregation Anshai Torah since its beginning, sharing the pulpit with Rabbi Michael Kushnick for the last six years.

Submitted Story

Congregation Anshai Torah is celebrating 20 years as a family, a spiritual home, a place to grow, to learn, to pray, and to build one’s Jewish stronghold. Together with the greater community, that celebration will break out at 6 p.m. Sunday, March 31, at the Hilton Granite Park Hotel.
Gathering to party like it’s 1999, the event is open to the public.
“It’s been a supreme honor to lead Anshai Torah from its outset on July 1, 1998. To witness the pride, joy, and spiritual fulfillment experienced by so many who never dreamed of creating a synagogue has been the most exciting aspect of my leadership,” said Rabbi Stefan Weinberg. “The nurturing of our congregation has been a labor of love and to have shared this journey with Wende z”l, and a dedicated and passionate cadre of others, have been some of the most meaningful blessings in life.
“This celebration gives reason to pause and appreciate our blessings and the impact we’ve had on so many.”
The evening will offer food from Simcha Kosher Catering, a photo montage and program honoring the congregation as well as Dot and Basil Haymann (among the congregation’s founders) and entertainment and dancing with the music of the Jordan Kahn Orchestra.
Co-chairs Ashley Grossfeld and Julie Haymann, along with Beth Berk, Cathy Brook, Dot Haymann, Marcy Kahn, a dedicated committee and Anshai Torah’s staff, are planning a night of fun and honor.
“Twenty years as a Conservative congregation that continues to thrive is quite an accomplishment and this is the perfect time to celebrate,” said Julie Haymann. “It is a great honor for us all to work on something so exciting that celebrates Anshai Torah as well as Dot and Basil.”
Anshai Torah’s family tree began with roots in Anshai Emet and Shomray Torah.
•1998: They formed their first joint home on Village Creek Drive. Those roots have grown branches and generations with more than 550 families.
• Sept. 3, 2001: A march of Torahs and ruach made its way to Anshai Torah’s permanent home on Parker Road in West Plano.
•2004 marked the first of many congregational trips to Israel.
•2005: The voices of the Kol Rina men’s a cappella choir first sounded.
•2010: The Behringer Sanctuary was built.
•2011: Anshai Torah’s Illustrated Torah arrived.
•2013: Rabbi Michael Kushnick joined Rabbi Weinberg.
•2017: Light began shining through in a more colorful manner, stained-glass panels at the front of the sanctuary now complemented by 12 encircling the sanctuary, depicting the tribes of Israel.
•2018: Project 613 brought Wende’s Torah, the first congregational Torah written specifically for them — in memory of its late rebbetzin.
A melding of families, Anshai Torah will toast the Haymanns, who have been involved since their arrival from Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1978. Originally members of Anshai Emet, they are among many who have contributed to two decades of success at the shul.
“From early on our love of Anshai was born and our commitment began. We’ve always supported Anshai as a cornerstone of the community and from that we expanded our involvement to many aspects of Dallas’ Jewish life,” said Dot Haymann. “We believe that to impact change and make a difference you need to be involved. Only by being a leader can you influence the direction of change.”
The Haymann family includes children Gary (Julie), Sandy (Andrew) Marks and Tracy (BJ) Elliott; and grandchildren Abby and Alex Elliott, Eli, Izzie and Kaya Haymann and Adrianna and Jake Marks. The Haymanns have shared to Anshai Torah the ark that houses its Torahs, the Haymann Foyer and Menorah — which stands 20 feet tall at the synagogue’s entrance — and a Torah rescued from Tehran, donated in memory of Basil’s father Fred and the couple’s late son Clinton.
“We’ve been so fortunate to have people like Dot and Basil, with their beautiful family at their side, supporting Anshai in such significant ways,” said Rabbi Weinberg. “Their leadership profile is defined by their support for the community at large.”
The Haymanns’ children have taken their example to heart.
“Our parents taught us early on to give back and that means more than financial donations; it means helping wherever we can with time and energy,” said Sandy Haymann Marks, who celebrated her bat mitzvah at Anshai Emet and was married at Anshai Torah. “The best is coming together, three generations to pray and celebrate together.”
Supporting AIPAC, the Ann and Nate Levine Academy, the Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education & Tolerance, Greene Family Camp, the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas, the Holocaust Museum, Texas Torah Institute and The Legacy at Home and Legacy Senior Communities, Inc., the family’s touch is seen throughout the Dallas Jewish community
“Lead with passion and example has always been our mantra,” said Dot, “and we’re so humbled to share this tremendous milestone as Anshai celebrates 20 years of strength and possibility.”
Rabbi Weinberg reflected on the congregation’s two decades.
“The history of Anshai proudly reflects a congregation whose roots are deeply embedded in the fertile soil of the greater Jewish community,” he said. “May God’s presence continue to nurture and protect the precious spiritual home we’ve been privileged to construct.”
To RSVP, for sponsorship opportunities or to participate in the tribute book (by March 8), visit tinyurl.com/anshai20.

— Submitted by
Deb Silverthorn

Photo: BBYOEthan Freed (back row, far left) was elected Grand Aleph Gizbor (treasurer) and Kian Roy (back row, third from left) was elected Grand Aleph Mazkir (secretary) when BBYO held its annual International Convention in Denver Feb. 14-18.

By Elena Okowita

More than 120 teens from the BBYO North Texas Oklahoma region gathered with more than 3,000 Jewish teens from around the world at the organization’s International Convention in Denver over President’s Day weekend, Feb. 14 to Feb. 18. The convention featured seminars, as well as celebrities, business leaders, political figures and philanthropists from more than 36 countries. It was co-planned by local teen Aidan Jacoby, who is BBYO’s international vice president.
Jacoby, son of Karla and Eric Jacoby of Plano, described the planning process as a marathon, with lots of late-night phone calls, stressful meetings and management of close to 300 teens, However, once he stepped out on the stage during the convention’s opening ceremonies and saw the entire convention body for the first time, it was all worth it, Jacoby explained.
“Planning BBYO’s international convention provided me with the opportunity to grow as both a Jewish leader and a secular teen,” Jacoby said. “My time on calls, spreadsheets and documents ultimately paid off as I watched more than 6,000 people appreciate the hard work of our team.”
The “team,” as Jacoby refers to it, consisted of the IC steering committee made up of other BBYO teens from around the globe. This committee was led and supervised by Jacoby, who credited the convention’s success to this group.
“Their hard work made convention possible, and being able to celebrate with them after their programming was implemented was very rewarding,” he said.
Two North Texas teens — Kian Roy, son of Jenni and Gavin Roy of Dallas, and Ethan Freed, son of Dana and Larry Freed of Plano — were elected to the International Board for the 2019-2020 term.
Roy, who was elected Grand Aleph Mazkir, or international secretary, said his motivation to run stemmed from the opportunity to make an impact upon others. He is excited to act as a leader and role model for the next generation of Jewish teens.
“Being on the board gives me the opportunity to interact with teens and adults from all across the globe, while really learning how to successfully connect and build relationships with my peers,” he said. “My influence will hopefully inspire others to find their passion for Judaism, enhancing our Jewish futures while creating strong friendships with fellow Jews from around the world.”
In his new position, Roy will be responsible for coordinating the International Leadership Training Conference, a three-week summer session at BBYO’s Perlman Camp in Pennsylvania.
The session is full of leadership and Jewish enrichment,” Roy said. “Having the chance to build special moments and bond with all of the teens in attendance will be an amazing experience, and allow me to finish my term on board with one last special opportunity.”
Ethan Freed was elected to the position of Grand Aleph Gizbor, or international treasurer. Inspired by past members who continued to push him further into his BBYO journey, Freed is grateful and excited for the opportunities that are ahead.
“Past members of my chapter put their time and dedication into me, and I knew that I had to give back to the organization that gave me so much,” he said.
As the new treasurer, Freed plans on using his position to make a real and lasting impact on the organization.
“I plan on expanding the current monetary sources that BBYO has, to ensure that BBYO can continue to grow to countries that lack funds, so we can fight the 80 percent post-bar mitzvah drop-off rate,” he said. “Let’s show that being Jewish has never been about being; it has always been about doing.”
Dallas will host the International Convention next year. The city will welcome over 5,000 teens, guest speakers, stakeholders, and performers over the weekend of Feb. 13-17, 2020. With local leaders like Roy and Freed at the helm, IC 2020 is sure to continue its legacy of success and Jewish continuity.
There will be many volunteer opportunities to get involved with the planning of IC Dallas. Email Lory Conte, BBYO senior regional director, at LConte@bbyo.org to learn more!

Photo: Harvey Wang“Grandparents are the hinges of history, reaching back to our own grandparents, reaching forward to our grandkids,” said author Jane Isay, who will speak on March 6 at the Aaron Family JCC.

By Deb Silverthorn

The greatest of loves — of grandparent and grandchild — has lightheartedly, with a sprinkle of truth, been explained as the love between two generations who share “a common enemy.” A morning of understanding the best of this relationship will take place March 6, at the Aaron Family JCC, with family expert and “Unconditional Love: A Guide to Navigating the Joys and Challenges of Being a Grandparent Today” author Jane Isay.
The program, cosponsored by the Aaron Family JCC’s Margot Rosenberg Pulitzer Dallas Jewish BookFest and the Goldberg Family Early Childhood Center, is free and open to the public.
“When the grandkids come, the tic-tac-toe game of life gets played in 3-D. There’s nothing like it.” said Isay, grandmother of four who treasures the bond and hopes to help others glean the most they can. “Regardless of proximity, whether you see the kids twice a year or every week, the love crosses the generations. Grandparents are ‘Switzerland’ — always a safe place.”
Isay, who has edited nonfiction books for more than four decades, discovered Mary Pipher’s “Reviving Ophelia,” and commissioned Patricia T. O’Connor’s bestselling “Woe Is I” and Rachel Simmons’ “Odd Girl Out.” She also edited classics, including “Praying for Sheetrock” and “Friday Night Lights.” Before publishing “Unconditional Love,” she wrote “Walking on Eggshells,” about parents and their adult children; “Mom Still Likes You Best,” regarding adult siblings; and “Secrets and Lies,” about family secrets and revelations. “I learned a lot from my authors,” Isay said.
For many grandparents, a grandchild offers a second chance to become the parent they maybe didn’t have the time or the energy to be when raising their own children, the opportunity to turn missed moments into wonderful memories.
Drawing on her personal experience, dozens of interviews and psychological research, Isay explores the realities of today’s multigenerational families, identifying problems and offering solutions to enhance love, trust and understanding between grandparents, parents and grandchildren. She also provides practical advice from when to get involved, when to stay away, and how to foster strong relationships when separated.
“Using an authoritative yet friendly tone, respectful of all three generations involved, and startlingly deep insight into the impact of the past decades of social and economic change on family life, Isay shows the reader how to navigate the new choreography of grandparenting and enter into a dance of grace and delight,” said Wendy Mogel, gracing Isay’s book cover. Mogel herself is the author of “Blessing of the Skinned Knee,” “The Blessing of a B Minus” and “Voice Lessons for Parents.”
“I heard Jane speak at a Jewish Book Council event and she was absolutely engaging. Her book is for every grandparent — the new and the seasoned. It’s really written for all family relationships,” said Rachelle Weiss Crane, JCC director of Israel engagement and Jewish living. “We’re excited to partner with our Goldberg Family Early Childhood Center, and to make a daytime event possible.”
“Grandparents are ‘it’ in the eyes of our children and that is the greatest blessing. We have grandparents running carpool, volunteering in classrooms, and touching their grandchildren’s lives every day. It is beautiful,” said Tara Ohayon, director of early childhood education at the Goldberg Family Early Childhood Center.
Ohayon went on to say that her parents, Helen and Bill Sutker, played an integral role by caring for her own four children. “We love having both generations in the building to share the learning, Shabbat mornings, the Jewish connections, and the bubbies and zaydes so hands-on in the daily care — the fun and the responsibilities.”
Isay is the daughter of Rose N. Franzblau, a New York Post human relations columnist, and the late Abraham Franzblau, a former dean of Hebrew Union College who also practiced psychiatry.
After years of editing at Yale University Press and in New York publishing, it was time for Isay’s next calling. Her two sons were then busy building their own lives in their twenties; she, working to develop the next step of relationship with her now adult children, couldn’t find a book to help her through. “I decided to leave the corporate world and write it myself,” said Isay, whose late husband, literary agent Jonathan Dolger, sent out “Walking on Eggshells.”
Days later, right after her first grandchild was born, Isay got the go-ahead. “My writing and my family have grown together,” the author said. “I now have four grandchildren and four books — and I’m incredibly proud of all of them.”
Isay might not have known her own grandparents — all had passed before she was born — but she is, academically and of the heart, experienced in the ties of grandparents and grandchildren. Friends of her mother filled in the “you are perfect no matter what you do position,” she said. “It’s not the blood, it’s the love,” that builds the connection.
The author, known as Grandma Jane, said she is not the “cheerleader at all events close” to her grandchildren, but the “be there, share experiences, and make Grandma’s special chicken close.”
“Grandparents are the hinges of history,” she said, “reaching back to our own grandparents, reaching forward to our grandkids.”
Jane Isay will speak at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, March 6, at the Aaron Family Jewish Community Center of Dallas, 7900 Northaven Road The event is free; RSVPs are necessary. For more information, visit jccdallas.org/event/jane-isay.

On Wednesday, Jan. 30, more than 150 individuals from Jewish communities throughout Texas traveled to the Texas State Capitol for Jewish Communities Day at the State: Legislative Mission to Austin (Day at the State), organized by the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas.
Jewish communities from across the state participated in the event, including the Jewish Federations of Greater Dallas, Austin, Greater Houston, Fort Worth & Tarrant County, and San Antonio. Partners also included the Community Relations Council (CRC) of San Antonio, Hadassah – Greater Southwest Region, Torah Day School of Dallas, Texas Hillel, Chabad at UT, Hillels of North Texas, and SMU Hillel.
Jewish Communities Day at the State: Legislative Mission to Austin is a bi-annual event, coinciding with the Texas State Legislative session every two years “The Day at the State program was an opportunity for Jewish communities throughout Texas to come together in order to make a valuable impact in Austin during this legislative session by showing our support for Israel, as well as expressing our concerns about other issues that affect all Texans. Issues important to the Jewish community include anti-BDS legislation, increased safety and security of children in day care centers, and support for social services provided by our Federation partners — Jewish Family Service, Legacy Senior Communities, the Jewish Community Center, and CHAI. We are looking to our state senators and representatives especially from the Dallas area to be receptive and supportive of these important initiatives. Based on our interaction Wednesday, including a meeting with Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, it was a successful day for our greater Jewish community,” said A.J. Rosmarin, Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas chair-elect .
The Day at the State program began with a legislative briefing by Harvey Kronberg, editor of the nonpartisan online publication Quorum Report, followed by speakers on the various advocacy issues: support for Israel, support for social services and Federation agency partners, and support for access to quality early learning and child care safety for all children.
Regen Horchow Fearon, board chair of Early Matters Dallas, discussed the importance of high quality early learning and need for increased safety and security of child day care centers. Lisa Brodsky, CEO of Community Homes for Adults, Inc. (CHAI), discussed the need to support quality services and programs to instill a capacity for independence and self-sufficiency among Texan adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Toba Hellerstein, CEO of the Texas-Israel Alliance, shared facts about Israel as a global leader in water management and innovation, and how Israeli technology can be used to help Texas in solving water challenges.
“The JCRC is grateful to all the speakers and participants who joined us in Austin on Jan. 30,” said Dallas JCRC Chair Melanie Rubin. “Their participation, enthusiasm and commitment in educating our legislators and advocating for issues important to the Jewish community is what made the day a true success.”
Representative Phil King (R- Weatherford) met with the group following the passing of House Resolution 111 that morning, affirming Israel’s achievements in water management and the Israel-Texas Water Initiative. The resolution was crafted at the request of the Dallas Jewish Community Relations Council and the Texas-Israel Alliance. Rep. King also discussed the follow-up bill to the Texas anti-BDS bill, which was passed last legislative session and prohibits the State of Texas from contracting with any company that engages in boycott, divestment or sanctions against Israel. The follow-up bill this session is intended to tweak the existing anti-BDS law and to make some clarifications on enforcement of the existing law. This year’s bill notes that the anti-boycott statute is a commerce issue and not an infringement on any individual’s free speech rights. The new bill also eliminates applicability to sole proprietorships to show that this is not about individual content, but rather about government contracts using taxpayer funds.
During the Day at the State program, the Dallas JCRC arranged advocacy meetings with legislators from both political parties. Small (two- to four-person) groups met with individual legislators or staff during the afternoon. There was also a meeting and photo with Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, which led to his inviting the entire group on an impromptu tour of the Lieutenant Governor’s office and official Capitol residence.
“I learned so much at the Jewish Communities Day at the State program,” commented Dawn Strauss, Day at the State co-chair. “I left Austin feeling invigorated, proud and excited to be a part of the Dallas Jewish community. This mission was an amazing opportunity to have our voices heard and to make an impact in Austin.”
Adam Segall, Day at the State co-chair, added, “We appreciate the support and participation of the Jewish Federations and many Jewish organizations and agencies throughout Texas. As the only full-time Jewish Community Relations Council in Texas, our Dallas JCRC is pleased to have served as the planning and coordinating entity that brings together all the Jewish communities in Texas for this critical advocacy program.”

2019 Outstanding Volunteer Geetha Rajendran is flanked by JFS Community Engagement staff members, Kristen Jackson and Jamie Denison. Among her many activities, she creates centerpieces for JFS’ Centerpieces for Tzedakah program.

By Deb Silverthorn

Jewish Family Service will present a massive Thank You party for its 1,604 volunteers who, in 2018, provided 28,454 hours of service through individual and group efforts. Kudos and appreciation will be given from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17, at Temple Shalom. Kosher refreshments will be served and the festivities are open to the public.
“Our volunteers are a critical extension of our staff by providing support in serving our clients, either directly or indirectly, enabling us to do more for the community,” said JFS CEO Cathy Barker. “With volunteers who can do data entry, deliver meals, shop with clients in our pantry or pick up donated food around town, the agency can redirect funds we would have had to spend hiring additional staff and instead it goes to serving our clients. We are extremely grateful to each and every one of them for their ongoing dedication to our mission and the community we serve.”

“I had come to JFS as a child but getting involved in the food pantry was the first time it was my project. JFS does an incredible job of making its clients feel appreciated and I respect that,” said Jonah Schwarz-Mullins, a senior at Yavneh Academy and one of two Kids with Heart Award recipients. In addition to stocking and other responsibilities, Schwarz-Mullins spearheaded a fundraiser for JFS’ Food Pantry truck, helping to raise more than $100,000. “The food truck is able to pick up donations from restaurant and retail vendors, including fresh produce which couldn’t be managed previously.”
Diane Laner, recipient of the Leadership Award, as well as a member of the Transitional Housing volunteers earning the Team Award, started working with JFS by delivering Passover and High Holiday meals and packages to homebound residents. She now serves on the JFS board of directors. Laner’s ears perked up during a discussion about fulfilling and decorating apartments of the organization’s Transitional Housing program.
The team of 16 included those who were handy with tools, design, ideas, access and most of all, said Laner, with care. Most didn’t know each other when they began, but together they built safety.
“We have furnishings and appliances, bedding, art and toys where there are children. We’ve created spaces that are home — without the feeling of temporary shelter,” she said. “From couches to tissue boxes, as a team we used social media, our personal contacts, whomever we could connect to, and each unit is lovely. The residents really feel safe and proud to live there.”
Awards will be given to those with milestone years of service. Honorees for five years are: Stanley Assa, Barbara Churchman, Cantor Don Croll, Ellen Feibel, Lindsay Feldman, Susan Kanter, Eve Kaplan, Lucille Klein, Lisa Kravitz, Mickey Kurzman, Lauren Margolies, Jana Milstein, Eda Narasov, Mahra Pailet, Myra Prescott, Rupa Rajopal — of blessed memory, Bradley Rossel, Stacey Siegel, Rossi Solomon, Judy Sommer, Melissa Steiner, Michael Stulmaker, Ed Weitz and Carol Wigder; for 10 years: Judy and Howard Bazarsky, Linda Blasnik, Sheryl Fields-Bogen, Eric Goldberg, Tobe Goldberg, Barbara Gollman, David Greenberg, Janet Kaner, Sue Mintz, Jody Pearson and Laurie Platt; for 15 years: Geane Glaser, Cara Mendelsohn, Karen Sosland and Caren Tate; and for 20 years, William Ogelsby.
The President’s Volunteer Service Award for Young Adult Silver (175-249 hours) will be given to Greg Begun, Abby Brand, Varsha Danda, Sara Hirani, Morgan Hurst, Esha Kothapalli, Maddie McBride, Marilyn McWhorter, Saipranav Ramesh, Aneesh Roy and Jaidyn Thomas. The Adult Silver (250-499 hours) will be awarded to Gilian Baron, Jim Doyle, Michael Kaufman, Lisa Kleinman, Julie Liberman, Geetha Rajendran, Barbara Schwarz, Roger Sellers and Ted Tobolowsky. The Adult Gold Awards (over 500 hours) will go to Anne Leiman and Bradley Rossel.
“Whether our volunteers are serving clients in the food pantry, being advocates for our [child] clients, delivering meals to homebound members of our community or fulfilling any other need, they are giving our clients the dignity, respect and hope they need to get through life’s tough times to become self-sufficient,” said JFS Community Engagement Manager Kristen Jackson. “Our agency would not be nearly as effective without their support. They are truly the heart of JFS.”
The volunteer awards event was planned by Kim Chapman, Julie Gothard, Weezie Margolis and Laura Weinstein. The difficult task of narrowing the many volunteers to those specifically honored was determined by a nominating committee including Janis Gail, Michael Kaufman, Weezie Margolis, Harriet Sebert, Betty Spomer and Lydia Varela.
“So many people came through to help. It’s amazing how if you try to make a difference, people will help you with the dream,” said Schwarz-Mullins. “Because of my experience with JFS, I hope to always find ways to make a difference in my community.”
Last year alone, more than 1,600 other community members felt the same way. “Our village is a great one — our villagers make it so.”
To RSVP (no charge), email kjackson@jfsdallas.org or call 972-437-9950. For general information, donations, or to learn about volunteering opportunities, visit JFSDallas.org.

Photo: Deb SilverthornVolunteer Ynette Hogue led Anshai Torah Religious School students, from left, Zane Zientz, Matthew Dubner, Sawyer Baumel, Jonah Makler and Asher Laynor, in JFS’ Inclusion Experience last year. Throughout February, JFS, along with members of organizations in the community, has created a calendar of learning, prayer, fun and activities — with a number of inclusion workshops such as this one held in 2018. The programs, which are open to all, honor Special Needs Awareness Month and Jewish Disabilities and Inclusion Awareness Month.

By Deb Silverthorn

February is all about love and, through Jewish Family Service, much love is being spread to the special needs community. It is designated as Jewish Disabilities and Inclusion Awareness Month, and Jewish organizations worldwide are making an effort to raise awareness and foster inclusion for those with disabilities and those who love them. JFS, servicing all in need regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or the ability to pay, adds the moniker, Special Needs Awareness Month.
“Our goal is for our community to realize that awareness leads to understanding, that understanding leads to empathy, and that empathy leads to compassion,” said Lorraine Friedman, director of JFS’ Special Needs Partnership and Programs. “Wouldn’t it be great if we could all focus on those themes this month, spreading a little more kindness and being a little more open-minded and open-hearted?”
The calendar of care begins with Inclusion Experience afternoons, from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 3, at Temple Emanu-El and then from 12 to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20, at the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas. In addition, the program will be shared with the students of Akiba Academy’s Middle School Feb. 25 and 26. The Inclusion Experience features experiential learning of auditory and sensory processing, fine and gross motor, speech, language and reading skills including dyslexia and ADHD.
A new chapter opens at 6:30 p.m. with CHAI-5 Book Club’s initial readings Feb. 5 and 19, and then every other Tuesday thereafter. Members will have their own copies of the books and Friedman first, then volunteers, will read them aloud. The first choice shared will be “Because of Winn-Dixie,” with the film screened afterward.
“We’ve wanted to present a book club for a while. This is the right time and Lorraine, with JFS, who has written books, is the right person to partner with,” said CHAI’s Community Relations Manager Kathy Minor Schneider. “We’ll have great discussions, and this will be a meaningful program.”
Friedman will direct a PERK (Parents Empowered Raising Kids) panel from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 6, at JFS. Six parents of young children, teens, college students and adults will share experiences and offer advice of how to traverse life’s path in many areas.
To prepare for Shabbat, CTeen, Friendship Circle and Yachad Dallas invite teens to participate in an inclusive challah bake beginning at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7, at Chabad of Dallas.
There will also be an added dose of shalom in next month’s Shabbat services. On Friday, Feb. 8, Anshai Torah will host Yehuda Kohn, founder of Bet Elazraki Children´s Home, a residential school in Netanya for at-risk youth. Services will begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner. Chabad of Dallas and Friendship Circle will also share dedicated services and a dinner with sensory-friendly activities, beginning at 6:15 p.m. Congregation Beth Torah welcomes the members of CHAI (Community Homes for Adults, Inc.) and the community for inclusive morning services and lunch beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 16.
Party with the Partners, which will celebrate all abilities, opens its doors from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 10, at Congregation Shearith Israel with sensory-safe events including karaoke (with the microphone off), dancing, art, basketball, beading projects, bingo, cookie decorating and more. Friendship Circle, Jewish Family Service and Yachad Dallas joining Shearith Israel will be the first time the community’s four agencies centered on those living with special needs will come together. The event, which celebrates people of all needs, is sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas, allowing the fun at no charge.
“We’re so excited to throw a party and celebrate all those in our community who we love,” said Sarah Lipinsky, Shearith Israel’s director of education, excited about the program she’s worked on for some time. “These members of our community are so special and it is our responsibility to make their lives better. As Jews, we’re commanded to care for one another, and I’m thrilled to partner with each of the groups in our community who are committed to doing just that.”
The curtains rise for screenings of “My Hero Brother” and “The Other Dreamers,” recommended for ages 13 and up, at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28, at the Studio Movie Grill at Royal Lane and Central Expressway.
“My Hero Brother” shares the story of young people with Down syndrome trekking through the Himalayan Mountains with their siblings. During their journey of a lifetime, they deal with physical and emotional challenges, unresolved conflicts surface and friendships develop. “The Other Dreamers” follows four disabled children who fall in love, get hurt, dance, compete and live their lives exactly like their non-disabled peers — with the addition of a wheelchair.
For teachers, an “It’s About Ability” program will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 13, at JFS. Differentiated Learning focuses on allowing teachers to meet the needs of students with differing abilities by changing the content that students learn, the process by which they retain the information, how they demonstrate knowledge of skills and with whom and where learning happens.
“While the special needs movement is a year-round process, February has become a focal point to highlight the challenges of people with special needs, and to build broader community awareness of these challenges, and to take additional steps to make our community inclusive and engaging. Through Special Needs Awareness month, we bring our community together,” said JFS CEO Cathy Barker.
For more events and RSVP details, visit tinyurl.com/JFS-special-needs-february. To volunteer at the Inclusion Experiences or the CHAI-5 Book Club, grades nine through adults, contact Lorraine Friedman at 972-437-9950 or email lfriedman@jfsdallas.org.By Deb Silverthorn
February is all about love and, through Jewish Family Service, much love is being spread to the special needs community. It is designated as Jewish Disabilities and Inclusion Awareness Month, and Jewish organizations worldwide are making an effort to raise awareness and foster inclusion for those with disabilities and those who love them. JFS, servicing all in need regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or the ability to pay, adds the moniker, Special Needs Awareness Month.
“Our goal is for our community to realize that awareness leads to understanding, that understanding leads to empathy, and that empathy leads to compassion,” said Lorraine Friedman, director of JFS’ Special Needs Partnership and Programs. “Wouldn’t it be great if we could all focus on those themes this month, spreading a little more kindness and being a little more open-minded and open-hearted?”
The calendar of care begins with Inclusion Experience afternoons, from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 3, at Temple Emanu-El and then from 12 to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20, at the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas. In addition, the program will be shared with the students of Akiba Academy’s Middle School Feb. 25 and 26. The Inclusion Experience features experiential learning of auditory and sensory processing, fine and gross motor, speech, language and reading skills including dyslexia and ADHD.
A new chapter opens at 6:30 p.m. with CHAI-5 Book Club’s initial readings Feb. 5 and 19, and then every other Tuesday thereafter. Members will have their own copies of the books and Friedman first, then volunteers, will read them aloud. The first choice shared will be “Because of Winn-Dixie,” with the film screened afterward.
“We’ve wanted to present a book club for a while. This is the right time and Lorraine, with JFS, who has written books, is the right person to partner with,” said CHAI’s Community Relations Manager Kathy Minor Schneider. “We’ll have great discussions, and this will be a meaningful program.”
Friedman will direct a PERK (Parents Empowered Raising Kids) panel from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 6, at JFS. Six parents of young children, teens, college students and adults will share experiences and offer advice of how to traverse life’s path in many areas.
To prepare for Shabbat, CTeen, Friendship Circle and Yachad Dallas invite teens to participate in an inclusive challah bake beginning at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7, at Chabad of Dallas.
There will also be an added dose of shalom in next month’s Shabbat services. On Friday, Feb. 8, Anshai Torah will host Yehuda Kohn, founder of Bet Elazraki Children´s Home, a residential school in Netanya for at-risk youth. Services will begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner. Chabad of Dallas and Friendship Circle will also share dedicated services and a dinner with sensory-friendly activities, beginning at 6:15 p.m. Congregation Beth Torah welcomes the members of CHAI (Community Homes for Adults, Inc.) and the community for inclusive morning services and lunch beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 16.
Party with the Partners, which will celebrate all abilities, opens its doors from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 10, at Congregation Shearith Israel with sensory-safe events including karaoke (with the microphone off), dancing, art, basketball, beading projects, bingo, cookie decorating and more. Friendship Circle, Jewish Family Service and Yachad Dallas joining Shearith Israel will be the first time the community’s four agencies centered on those living with special needs will come together. The event, which celebrates people of all needs, is sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas, allowing the fun at no charge.
“We’re so excited to throw a party and celebrate all those in our community who we love,” said Sarah Lipinsky, Shearith Israel’s director of education, excited about the program she’s worked on for some time. “These members of our community are so special and it is our responsibility to make their lives better. As Jews, we’re commanded to care for one another, and I’m thrilled to partner with each of the groups in our community who are committed to doing just that.”
The curtains rise for screenings of “My Hero Brother” and “The Other Dreamers,” recommended for ages 13 and up, at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28, at the Studio Movie Grill at Royal Lane and Central Expressway.
“My Hero Brother” shares the story of young people with Down syndrome trekking through the Himalayan Mountains with their siblings. During their journey of a lifetime, they deal with physical and emotional challenges, unresolved conflicts surface and friendships develop. “The Other Dreamers” follows four disabled children who fall in love, get hurt, dance, compete and live their lives exactly like their non-disabled peers — with the addition of a wheelchair.
For teachers, an “It’s About Ability” program will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 13, at JFS. Differentiated Learning focuses on allowing teachers to meet the needs of students with differing abilities by changing the content that students learn, the process by which they retain the information, how they demonstrate knowledge of skills and with whom and where learning happens.
“While the special needs movement is a year-round process, February has become a focal point to highlight the challenges of people with special needs, and to build broader community awareness of these challenges, and to take additional steps to make our community inclusive and engaging. Through Special Needs Awareness month, we bring our community together,” said JFS CEO Cathy Barker.
For more events and RSVP details, visit tinyurl.com/JFS-special-needs-february. To volunteer at the Inclusion Experiences or the CHAI-5 Book Club, grades nine through adults, contact Lorraine Friedman at 972-437-9950 or email lfriedman@jfsdallas.org.

Photo: Courtesy Cody StrullStem-cell donor Cody Strull was matched with a cancer patient two years after a DKMS drive at UT’s ZBT chapter.

By Deb Silverthorn

With the saving of one life, we are taught we can save the world. Through medical advancements and bone-marrow transplantation, Dallas’ community has often made saving the world possible.
For 23-year-old Cody Strull, the notion of saving a life was something “others did.” Now, he’s one of the “others” by virtue of his match with a cancer patient to whom he donated stem cells.
Strull, the son of Keo and Brian and brother of Brandon and Sean, is a former Rubin Kaplan BBYO member and Richardson High School graduate. He was raised at Temple Shalom and is now involved with Intown Chabad.
In February 2016, as president of the Zeta Beta Tau (ZBT) fraternity at the University of Texas, Strull expected no more than a good time during Dad’s Weekend. Basketball, revelry and casino games were augmented by a bone marrow donor drive by DKMS, an organization dedicated to fighting blood cancer and blood disorders.
“We planned a casino night and wanted a philanthropy to share the proceeds with,” said Marc Andres, a UCLA ZBT alum and father of UT alumni Louis, who graduated in 2016, and Miles, who graduated in 2018. The brothers helped coordinate Dad’s Weekend. Miles, then the fraternity’s philanthropy chair, chose the efforts of the Guillot family, whose son Zach died in 2014.
Zach fought hard to live, and through his battle, parents Julie and Jeff Guillot (a UT ZBT ’82 alum) and siblings Jake and Lili dedicated themselves to creating awareness and raising funds to find a cure.
“Jeff was in the pledge class with many of the dads of the participating kids, and being a brotherhood and a family, it was an easy decision,” Andres said. “The first year, we raised $1,500; the second, almost $5,000; last year, nearly $17,500; and, as it turns out, we helped make a match, and that’s worth so much more. Fraternity boys can get a bad rap but this is one for the books — great kids, great hearts.”
For Jeff, 35-plus years after he was first a pledge, going back was going home. “The closeness we shared back in the day remains, and that the men responded with action means a lot,” he said. “We want to prevent any family from going through what we have. When you raise money, you raise hope and you give a voice. The donations, both financial and now physical, mean everything.”
Strull enjoyed that 2016 ZBT Dad’s Weekend, taking a few minutes to swab his cheeks and fill out forms — he figured that was a nice thing to do but didn’t expect anything to come from it. Most prospective donors don’t.
“Jeff’s story was eye-opening and inspiring, but I didn’t think there would be any follow-up,” said Strull, who graduated in June and is a sales representative with the Dallas Stars.
But last May, Strull received a call asking him to complete more bloodwork. Soon, he was given the shocking result that he was a match — the second of a UT drive. Strull kept the information to himself, wanting time to think, until ensconced in a Birthright Israel trip weeks later.
By coincidence, one of the programs was about bone marrow transplantation, with a representative asking if anyone knew anyone with a connection. Strull, kept his secret and sat still — but not for long.
Three fraternity brothers had joined Strull on the Birthright trip and one, Mickey Wolf, raised his hand saying he didn’t personally, but that apparently one of 300 who was swabbed through his fraternity had been identified as a match.
During a break, Strull took his buddies aside and revealed his secret. They encouraged him to move forward. “Save a life, save the world,” they’d been taught, they reminded him. “You have to do this,” they said.
“Birthright was an incredibly spiritually awakening trip for me, and when I came home, I knew what I needed to do,” Strull said.
When Strull returned from Israel, he told his family and met with the medical team. In a week, eight tubes of blood were tested. There was waiting, and then a fateful call. At the end of July, during the first week with the Stars, he underwent five days of injections to prepare for the procedure, then sat for four hours during which the stem cells were extracted.
Within hours, the cells were on their way to the recipient, identified only as a male, who received the life-saving gift shortly thereafter.
“Our DNA is linked to our heritage. Jewish patients need Jewish donors — it’s never guaranteed but the chances of a match are greater,” said Amy Roseman, Dallas’ DKMS donor recruiter. “We need all donors, but our young people provide the best patient outcome. Finding a donor in one’s family is like finding a needle in a haystack. We need to fill the haystacks with needles from our ‘extended’ Jewishly connected family.”
“Those with aggressive blood cancers depend on donors for their lives,” said Julie Guillot, featured on the Jan. 17 “Thriver Thursday” series with “Good Morning America’s” Robin Roberts. Jake, at age 3, went through the process to help his brother, most certainly extending Zach’s life.
“For patients who go through the intense treatments, without a match, it’s heart-rendering. For those who match, and follow through, it’s life-changing.”
New York resident Rich Rothman, a myelodysplastic syndrome survivor, attests to that truth. He received a transplant from Dallas’ Scott Price. The two, who met at DKMS’ 2018 awards breakfast, were matched at a DKMS drive at Parish Episcopal School, where Zach Guillot went to school.
“The DKMS family provided the opportunity for us to connect and I feel like we’ve known each other for ages,” said Price. “When people ask if the donation was painful, I say all I had to do was take a nap. The anesthesia made it quick and easy. It’s a small thing to help someone in need.”
Strull echoes the thought.
“I don’t know anything about the recipient, but he’s the one fighting cancer, throwing the punches,” he said. “I hope he knows I’m in his corner, ‘wiping his sweat, icing his face and massaging his back.’ I want him to kick cancer’s butt and raise his belt — a long life — above his head.”
Those ages 18-55 and in general good health can register at dkms.org. To donate to the Guillots’ foundation, with all donations funding genomic sequencing testing, visit TargetPediatricAML.org.

Photo: Kim GoldbergFollowing a lecture on Bach’s Chaconne, Gary Levinson taught a masterclass for students at Kibbutz Cabri Arts High School.

By Gil Hoffman
Jerusalem Post

Jewish and Arab students throughout the Western Galilee were given the opportunity to learn from and listen to American violinists, who were led by Gary Levinson, the artistic director of the Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth and senior principal associate concertmaster of the Dallas Symphony.
“This may be the one language we can agree on,” Levinson said. “They all want to make music beautifully, and they all listened with bated breath.”
The delegation also included musicians Sarah Price of Fort Worth and Ilana McNamara, as well as Kim Goldberg, who has been chairwoman of arts and community in the Partnership 2Gether consortium. A team led by partnership director Judy Yuda put together their itinerary to maximize their time in Israel.
The musicians performed three concerts while they were in the region. The first paid tribute to supporters of the crowdfunding campaign that the partnership initiated to raise money to bring opinion leaders from consortium communities to Israel to experience the Western Galilee’s diversity and multiculturalism.
In the second concert, Levinson and top musical students from Akko and the Matte Asher Regional Council performed for Western Galilee residents.
In the final multicultural concert in Akko, the visiting violinists performed to celebrate multiculturalism and coexistence in the Western Galilee.
They also led four masterclasses with both Arab and Jewish students in Akko, Matte Asher, Rosh Pina and the Arab town of Tarshiha.
Levinson said the concerts were very different from each other. For instance, the crowdfunding donors were not used to musicians performing in such a small setting.
“They were shocked by what a great experience it was to have an intimate concert,” he said. “It was a great pleasure for me to introduce them to that kind of experience where they can feel the energy.”
McNamara, a 17-year-old high school student in Omaha, said she enjoyed playing with Jewish and Arab kids who are her age from the Western Galilee’s Keshet Eilon Music Center.
“This has been a great experience,” she said. “I have never done an international concert series before. Every time we played, we wished it was for longer. It was so great that I can’t imagine it could be even better.”
But that is exactly what Goldberg and Levinson are planning to do. Goldberg said that after this delegation, they know better what needs to be done and how they can be more effective. They are working on a follow-up trip in October 2019 and a three-year plan, in partnership with the Western Galilee’s municipalities.
“When we come back, we will do what we didn’t have time to do,” Goldberg said. “Now that we understand what our strengths are, we can reach out to more students. The soil is very rich for this.”
The trip was the idea of Goldberg, who decided to match Levinson with Akko conservatory head Danny Yaron.
“When I saw Gary’s passion, I knew when they got him and Yaron together, magic would happen,” she said. “It seemed to be the perfect fit to get Gary here, engaged with students. I’m always thinking of making connections. It most definitely succeeded.”
Price said the highlight for her was getting to perform for different audiences than they are used to having and getting to meet people from different cultural backgrounds.
“We didn’t know what to expect in the Middle East,” she said. “Everyone was so warm and friendly.”
One highlight for all the participants was meeting with Holocaust violinist Amnon Weinstein, the founder and promoter of the Violins of Hope Collection of instruments from the Holocaust. Weinstein let Levinson play the decades-old instruments; he usually performs on a violin that was crafted in 1726.
“The partnership provided a platform for all these connections, which wouldn’t happen without the Jewish Agency putting aside money and allowing connections to happen,” Yuda said.
She pointed out that some 500 people were touched in one way or another over the weeklong tour by the delegation, which was funded by the 14 consortium communities.
Yuda was touched by a quote from Noa Tenne, the head of the partnership community committee, who wrote her after the final concert, “I am astonished every time anew from the opportunities the partnership offers and the possibilities of making connections between the communities.”
Levinson said he enjoyed teaching the children of the Western Galilee how to listen and that hearing and listening are not the same thing.
“They can communicate with different language and a unified goal,” he said. “That’s why I prefer the language of music. I’m not pretending that this visit will make or break the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But we can’t know the answer if we don’t try.”
This article was first printed in the Jerusalem Post and is reprinted with permission.

By Deb Silverthorn

The Talmud says “to save a life is to save the world,” and that is just what Robyn Rovinsky Mirsky does with each student to whom she teaches lifesaving measures. From preschoolers to seniors around the community — individuals, volunteers and professionals — Mirsky’s hands and heart teach others to be ready to save lives.
“What I teach is something I hope no one will ever have to use. But being able to help someone breathe who hasn’t, or to relieve them from choking, or whatever the emergency, it’s very important and so much easier than people think,” said Mirsky, who has been teaching lifesaving techniques for eight years. “When you are the one to save a life — it’s almost indescribable, but it’s amazing.”
Mirsky’s students come from throughout the community; she has taught preschool students about dialing 911 and the basics of CPR, as well as families preparing for the next generation, staffers in medical offices, educational faculty support in schools and more.
“I wanted to be a good ‘bubbe,’ and that came with responsibility. We all needed to be ready,” said Terri Schepps, who brought Mirsky to a family lesson when awaiting the arrival of her first granddaughter. Lena, now 16 months old, was the impetus, but the whole family realized the value in knowing the techniques at any time.
“Between us, there were those who had no clue about how to react in a crisis and others who needed to be recertified,” Schepps said. “And Robyn, through a wonderful family afternoon, was able to support us by providing the tools and the confidence, should an emergency arise.”
For pediatric opthalmologist Zev Shulkin, being licensed isn’t an option for his employees, and he has retained Mirsky to train his staff. Shulkin has known Mirsky for most of his life, with both families ensconced at Tiferet Israel, and the two are medical support partners at many events in the community. It is she that he trusts in handing the teacher reins.
“Robyn is extremely patient, an outstanding teacher and proficient in her skill set,” Shulkin said. “She made the somewhat banal training interesting and fun, and I would strongly recommend her. It’s something we did to stay up to date, and she was very helpful.”
The daughter of Erv and Shirley Rovinsky, sister of Rabbi Michael Rovinsky and mother to Josh and Mollie, Mirsky is a Dallas native. A graduate of Akiba Academy and Richardson High School, Mirsky is a former BBYO Sablosky chapter member and officer.
She is a lifetime member of Hadassah and previously worked as a cosmetologist and in sales and marketing for Garrett Creek Ranch.
In 2005, after witnessing a young athlete go down during a basketball game with no defibrillator on-site, Mirsky enrolled in EMT school the next day. After years of working with Medical City and CareFlite, constantly inspired by the adrenaline and the patients she served, Mirsky refused to drop out of health care after suffering a significant injury during an accident in which she was thrown from an ambulance.
Finding another way to make a difference, she became certified by the American Heart Association. In teaching others how to be prepared, she is the link to saving lives of those she’ll never even meet.
Mirsky, who has been a member of the Dallas Kosher Chili Cook-off committee since it began, is on the medical team of Dallas Maccabi, JCC Senior Expos and, beginning last year, a support for mourners with the Chevra Kadisha at Tiferet Israel.
“Keeping close to those who have passed is a mitzvah that can’t be returned, and it’s something I never imagined connecting to, but now I can’t imagine not doing. It is all about care.”
Mirsky’s curriculum includes basic first aid, what to do in the event of a shooting, puncture or water accident; how to handle choking; and even resuscitation of animals.
Whether it’s to the staff of the Key Whitman Eye Center, at gun clubs teaching how to handle an accidental shooting, or at the Akiba Academy or Chabad of Plano’s Gan Gani preschools, Mirsky brings it all and lays it out for her students.
“Robyn is a great instructor and while it’s a serious subject she makes it fun and enjoyable,” said Gan Gani Director Rivkie Block. “She has a huge heart, and she was easily able to connect to our teachers, the teens and even our children. Each session has us walking away feeling confident, optimistic and, while we hope we never need to, feeling like we could help someone if the need arose.”
Most sessions last one to two hours, and Mirsky will travel to offices, organization headquarters and homes. She brings all necessary materials and provides certification for those requiring it at the end of the class.
“I love the adrenaline that this career path has brought me,” Mirsky said, “and I love sharing the information so that anyone, literally, can save a life.”
Classes begin at $55/person, and group rates are available. For more information or to schedule classes, email robyn.mirsky@yahoo.com.